New Hampshire Wildcats women's ice hockey


The New Hampshire Wildcats represent the University of New Hampshire. They have won five ECAC championships between 1986 and 1996. When the Wildcats joined Hockey East, they won four Hockey East titles from 2006 to 2009. The Wildcats have more wins than any other women's ice hockey program at 668 in its first 32 years. The Wildcats went undefeated in their initial 74 games spanning the 1978 through 1982 seasons. A UNH goaltender has been declared Hockey East Goaltending Champion in the first six years of the league's existence. From 2007 to 2009, UNH hosted NCAA Tournament Regional home games.

Year by year

YearCoachWLTConferenceConf.
W		Conf.
L		Conf.
T		FinishConference TournamentNCAA Tournament
2018-19Hilary Witt13176Hockey East101436th HELost Quarterfinals vs. Boston University Did not qualify
2017-18Hilary Witt14157Hockey East91055th HELost Quarterfinals vs. Northeastern Did not qualify
2016-17Hilary Witt14192Hockey East111126th HELost Quarterfinals vs. Boston University Did not qualify
2015-16Hilary Witt11214Hockey East81605th HELost Quarterfinals vs. Connecticut Did not qualify
2014-15Hilary Witt10233Hockey East61326th HELost Quarterfinals vs. Northeastern Did not qualify
2013-14Brian McCloskey9232Hockey East41528th HELost Quarterfinals vs. Boston College Did not qualify
2012-13Brian McCloskey14164Hockey East10834th HELost Quarterfinals vs. Providence Did not qualify
2011-12Brian McCloskey10223Hockey East41526th HELost Quarterfinals vs. Boston University Did not qualify
2010-11Brian McCloskey14162Hockey East71317th HEDid not qualifyDid not qualify
2009-10Brian McCloskey1995Hockey East13622nd HELost Semifinals vs. Boston University Lost First Round vs. Minnesota-Duluth
2008-09Brian McCloskey2465Hockey East15241st HEWon Semifinals vs. Providence
Won Championship vs. Boston College 		Lost First Round vs. Minnesota-Duluth
2007-08Brian McCloskey3341Hockey East20101st HEWon Semifinals vs. Boston University
Won Championship vs. Providence 		Lost First Round vs. Minnesota-Duluth
2006-07Brian McCloskey2845Hockey East18121st HEWon Semifinals vs. Connecticut
Won Championship vs. Providence 		Lost First Round vs. St. Lawrence
2005-06Brian McCloskey3331Hockey East19111st HEWon Semifinals vs. Maine
Won Championship vs. Boston College 		Won First Round vs. Harvard
Lost Frozen Four vs. Minnesota
2004-05Brian McCloskey2186Hockey East13341st HELost Semifinals vs. Connecticut Did not qualify
2003-04Brian McCloskey2394Hockey East17121st HEWon Semifinals vs. Northeastern
Lost Championship vs. Providence 		Did not qualify
2002-03Brian McCloskey2772Hockey East13202nd HEWon Semifinals vs. Maine
Lost Championship vs. Providence 		Did not qualify
2001-02Karen Kay19125ECAC Eastern11643rd ECAC E.Won Quarterfinals vs. Connecticut
Lost Semifinals vs. Northeastern 		Did not qualify
2000-01Karen Kay17170ECAC131106th ECACLost Quarterfinals vs. St. Lawrence Did not qualify
1999-00Karen Kay24100ECAC17704th ECACLost Quarterfinals vs. Northeastern Did not qualify
1998-99Karen Kay2375ECAC19432nd ECACWon Quarterfinals vs. Princeton
Won Semifinals vs. Brown
Lost Championship vs. Harvard 		Did not qualify
1997-98Karen Kay3153
1996-97Karen Kay2393
1995-96Karen Kay2452
1994-95Karen Kay23102
1993-94Karen Kay14103
1992-93Karen Kay1752
1991-92Russ McCurdy1562
1990-91Russ McCurdy1930
1989-90Russ McCurdy2031
1988-89Russ McCurdy1660
1987-88Russ McCurdy1551
1986-87Russ McCurdy1813
1985-86Russ McCurdy1831
1984-85Russ McCurdy1830
1983-84Russ McCurdy1640
1982-83Russ McCurdy1910
1981-82Russ McCurdy1811
1980-81Russ McCurdy2100
1979-80Russ McCurdy2000
1978-79Russ McCurdy1601
1977-78Russ McCurdy1500

History

The Wildcats competed in the first AWCHA Division I National Ice Hockey Championship. Contested in March 1998, the Wildcats defeated the Brown Bears by a 4-1 score, to become the first recognized national champion in women's college ice hockey. On January 15, 2000, Carisa Zaban recorded her second straight hat trick, while Samantha Holmes scored one goal and five assists. The Wildcats defeated Northeastern by a score of 9-1.

2006 to 2008

From 2005-06 to 2007-08, the Wildcats set school records with 33 wins in 2006 and 2008. The 2006 team broke seven team and three individual UNH records as well as four team and one individual NCAA records, and 14 team and five individual Hockey East records. In addition, the club had its first perfect season at the Whittemore Center in 2006.
In 2006-07, the club was ranked No. 1 in the nation during the 2007 season. The club's 28 wins in 2007 ranks fourth on program's single-season list
The following year, in 2007-08, New Hampshire was ranked No. 1 in the nation for eight weeks in the 2008 season. In 2008, the Wildcats ended the year #1 in the nation in penalty kill, #2 in offense, #2 in defense and #2 in power play. The 2008 Wildcats broke six Hockey East team records and tied two others en route to the league's first undefeated season. During the 2007-08 season, Sam Faber of New Hampshire set an NCAA record for most game winning goals in one season with 13.

Current roster

2019–20 Wildcats

Erin Whitten

Erin Whitten shut out Dartmouth College in her collegiate debut. She began her coaching career when she joined the UNH women's ice hockey staff on July 17, 2000. On July 27, 2006, she was promoted to the position of associate head coach on July 27, 2006.

First Outdoor Game

  • Aug 21: The Northeastern University women's hockey team will face New Hampshire at Fenway Park on Jan. 8, 2010, in the first outdoor women's college hockey game ever. The 4 p.m. game played between the Huskies and Wildcats will be the first game of a Hockey East Doubleheader. The men's teams at Boston College and Boston University will face off at 7:30 p.m. This will be the 110th all-time matchup between the Huskies and the Wildcats. In the prior 109 matches, New Hampshire has a 73-28-7 record vs. the Huskies.

    Notable players

  • Kacey Bellamy
  • Karyn Bye
  • Colleen Coyne
  • Tricia Dunn
  • Samantha "Sam" Faber
  • Samantha Holmes
  • Sue Merz
  • Kelly Paton
  • Erin Whitten
  • Carisa Zaban
  • In the 2009-10 season, Kelly Paton ranked near the top in several scoring categories in the NCAA. She ranked fourth in assists per game, fifth in points per game and tied for sixth in points. She led the Wildcats in points, goals and plus/minus. Paton was named Hockey East co-Player of the Year and won the Hockey East Three Stars Award. In addition, Paton was a unanimous All-Hockey East First Team selection, three-time Hockey East Player of the Month and three-time Hockey East Player of the Week.

    Championships and accolades

  • UNH's history includes four consecutive EAIAW titles from 1980–83 and five ECAC titles.
  • In 1998, New Hampshire won the inaugural women's ice hockey championship in 1998 at the FleetCenter in Boston. In that 1998 season, Brandy Fisher won the inaugural Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award as the top women's collegiate player. Four Wildcats were also members of the 1998 gold-medal winning U.S. Olympic team.
  • ECAC titles
  • ECAC runner-up
  • Appeared in the Frozen Four in 2006 and 2008
  • Hockey East regular-season champions in ‘04 ‘05 ‘06 ‘07 ‘08
  • Hockey East Tournament champions in ‘06 ‘07 ‘08

    Awards and honors

Wildcats player Brandy Fisher was the first ever Patty Kazmaier Award winner. The program has had four finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award. Besides Fisher, the others have included Nicki Luongo in 1999, Carisa Zaban in 2000 and Kelly Paton in 2010.
  • Courtney Birchard, 2010 WHEA First-Team All-Star
  • Courtney Birchard, 2010 Women's RBK Hockey Division I All-America Second Team
  • Winny Brodt, 1998 AWCHA Tournament Most Outstanding player
  • Tricia Dunn, Forward, New Hampshire; 1996 ECAC All-Tournament Team
  • Brandy Fisher, F, 1996 ECAC Tournament most valuable player
  • Brandy Fisher, Patty Kazmaier Award
  • Martine Garland, Top 10 Finalist for 2007 Patty Kazmaier Award
  • Kira Misikowetz, Top 10 Finalist for 2002 Patty Kazmaier Award
  • Carolyn Gordon, 2003-04 Hockey East Player of the Year
  • Samantha Holmes, 1999-2000 New England Hockey Writers Association Women's Division I All-Star Team
  • Jen Huggon, All-America honors in 2003
  • Carrie Jokiel, 2000 Sarah Devens Award
  • Kristina Lavoie, 2010 Hockey East Rookie of the Year
  • Kristina Lavoie, 2010 WHEA Honorable Mention All-Star
  • Kristina Lavoie, 2010 WHEA All-Rookie Team
  • Micaela Long, 2010 WHEA First-Team All-Star
  • Micaela Long, 2010 Hockey East Scoring Champion
  • Nicki Luongo, 1999 American Women's College Hockey Alliance All-Americans, First Team
  • Kerry Maher, 1999-2000 New England Hockey Writers Association Women's Division I All-Star Team
  • Kira Misikowetz, Forward, 2001-02 New England Hockey Writers Women's Division I All-Star Team
  • Kelly Paton – New Hampshire, WHEA Player of the Month, October 2009
  • Kelly Paton – New Hampshire, WHEA Player of the Month, November 2009
  • Kelly Paton – New Hampshire, WHEA Player of the Month, February 2010
  • Kelly Paton, 2010 Hockey East Co-Player of the Year
  • Kelly Paton, 2010 WHEA First-Team All-Star
  • Kelly Paton, Runner Up, 2010 Hockey East Scoring Champion
  • Kelly Paton, 2010 Frozen Four Skills Competition participant
  • Kelly Paton, 2010 Women's RBK Hockey Division I All-America First Team
  • Heather Reinke, Defense, 1996 All-ECAC Team
  • Heather Reinke, Defense, 1996 ECAC All-Tournament Team
  • Dina Solimini, Goaltender, 1996 ECAC All-Tournament Team
  • Dina Solimini, 1996 ECAC Honor Roll
  • Erin Whitten, USA Hockey Women's Player of the Year
  • Erin Whitten, UNH Department of Women's Athletics Athlete of the Year
  • Erin Whitten, ECAC Goaltender of the Year
  • Erin Whitten, ECAC First Team
  • Erin Whitten, ECAC All-Star Selection in 1990 and 1991
  • Carisa Zaban, 1996 ECAC Honor Roll
  • Carisa Zaban, 1999 American Women's College Hockey Alliance All-Americans, Second Team
  • Carisa Zaban, 1999-2000 New England Hockey Writers Association Women's Division I All-Star Team
  • Carisa Zaban, 1999-2000 All-America selection
  • Carisa Zaban, 2000 Patty Kazmaier Award finalist